But under the greatest pressure he has ever faced – far greater than when he won the US Open three months earlier – McDowell emerged as a Ryder Cup hero at Celtic Manor two years ago.

For every hero there has to be a villain, though, and opponent Hunter Mahan became the man who lost the trophy for America.

It all became too much for Mahan when he faced the media an hour later and he hasn’t made it back for this year’s showdown at Medinah.

But McDowell will tee up for Europe this month and insists he’s happy to shoulder the burden of going out last on the deciding day again.

The Northern Irishman said: “There’s a chance I’ve made a rod for my own back.

“It must be a fairly large possibility I will be low down the order again – although we won’t want to be too predictable.

“My caddie Ken Comboy and I were joking about getting ourselves about fifth on the list so we could play then enjoy it.

“But if going out last again is what I’m asked to do, bring it on.”

McDowell hasn’t won since the end of 2010 – a dramatic play-off victory over Tiger Woods at the Chevron World Challenge – but was in contention at both the US Open and Open Championship this summer.

Now he wants to get his hands back on the Ryder Cup.

The 33-year-old said: “It’s the most fun event we get to play and I was motivated to be on Jose Maria Olazabal’s team.

“Olly was a big part of my debut experience at Valhalla – he took me under his wing and the two most emotional speeches that week were by him.”

McDowell was a Ryder rookie back in 2008 when the Yanks inflicted a crushing defeat on Nick Faldo’s European side.

But his starring role at Celtic Manor helped make up for that disappointment and he now wants to savour glory on American soil.

G-Mac said: “I’ve experienced a lot of emotions. I’ve been a rookie, I’ve played in the States and in Europe, I’ve been on a winning team and a losing team, I’ve been in the game that it all came down to.”

What he hasn’t experienced is what Mahan felt in 2010 and McDowell hopes he never has to.

The defeated American broke down in front of his team-mates when asked to speak about his heartache at Celtic Manor.

And he wasn’t the first golfer to be overwhelmed by emotions after a Ryder Cup defeat.

Countryman Curtis Strange showed the pain when he lost a crucial tussle with Faldo in 1995 while Costantino Rocca felt he had let Europe down at The Belfry two years earlier.

But German ace Bernhard Langer showed great character to bounce back with a tournament win in 1991 the week after he had missed the decisive six-foot putt at Kiawah Island.

And Mahan believes some good came out of what happened to him after that defeat by McDowell.

He said: “People appreciate the showing of the emotions.

“We were trying to play for our country, for each other and for the captain Corey Pavin.

“That’s it and there’s no better honour than that.”

McDowell is likely to be partnered by compatriot Rory McIlory at Medinah and they will be a formidable pair if the world No.1 keeps up his thrilling recent form.

The 23-year-old was dismissive of the Ryder Cup before he made his debut at Celtic Manor, claiming: “It’s an exhibition at the end of the day. In the grand scheme of things it’s not that important an event for me.”

But one taste of the tournament was enough to change McIlroy’s tune.

Rory said: “I don’t want to miss a Ryder Cup for the next 20 years. I realise now what the Ryder Cup means and what it means to everyone.

“It’s the best exhibition in the world!”

Few would argue with that assessment if McIlroy is paired with Tiger Woods in the singles clash everyone wants to see.

• Ryder Cup rookie Nicolas Colsaerts spent hours watching golf on TV as a kid in Belgium – and can’t believe he’s now about to take part in the game’s greatest show.

The 29-year-old said: “I spent hours and hours downstairs watching tapes of golf while my mum and dad were asleep upstairs. This French golf would go to air at 7am on Sunday mornings and I loved watching that.”